Belt buckle



Jan. 3, 1928. l A 1,654,805

w. L. HAMRIC BELT BUCKLE Filed Nov. 6. 1925 Waldo L.Hamrc Chrom.,

Patented Jan. 3, i 1928.

UNITED STATES 51,654,805 lPA'rlizNT oFF1c'E.

wALno L. HAMRIdioF BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA.

BELT BUCKLE.

l Application led November 6, 1 926. `Serial'lo. 146,799.

that no strain is imposed upon the hinge.

A'further object is to provide in such a. buckle a hinged holdingmemberV which snaps into holding position and does not automaticallyrelease when the belt becomes slack, but requires pressurethereagainstfat an angle to the face of the belt for its release.

Another object is to provide such a buckle in which there is noconsiderable strain upon its front or side portion-s when the belt istaut, but substantially all of the pull is transferred from the holdingmeansto the back portion of the buckle.

YAnd a still further object is to provide such a buckle inv which thefront and sides,

laccompanying drawings, which depict a the former of which commonlyforms or bears a monogram or otherspecial design, and the spacing of thelatter'of which determines the width ofbelt with which the buckle can beused, are unitary and detachably secured to the back, so that fronts ofdierent design, and belts widths, readily may be used interchangeablywith the same buckle.

-The Ameans by which the' foregoing and other objects are accomplishedby my invention, and `the manner of their accomplishment, readily willbe understood from the following description on reference to thepreferred embodiment of the invention, and in which r.-

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the frontk portion of a belt, having itsends secured together by one of my improved belt-buckles.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the inner Side of the vportion of thebelt at .the junction of its two ends, showing the holding member of thebuckle as swung back out of l holding position.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail view, showing a section substantially online III-III kof Fig. 1.

of different Fig. 4 is an enlargedl detail view, showing lflange beingextended beyond vthe fourth side to form the chape 9 by which the buckleis secured to vone end ofthe belt 10, and there being an opening 11 inthe plane portionof the back-plate. The front-plate 12 of the bucklepreferably is formed of resilient metal, and has two of its marginalportions bent at right angles to. the substantially plane body portionthereof to form the two sides 13, each. of which terminates in aninwardly-bent portion In the outer surface ofthe flange' 8, at eachVside of the backplate 7, is a shallow groove 15 adapted toV receivethebent portion 14 offtheside, and the unitary front and sides are retainedin place by engagement' of saidbent portions with said grooves. V Theholding member comprises a plate 16,'having hinges 17 which cooperatewith a pintle V18 in the vform of a resilient .pin supported between thetwo side portions of the flange 8, said pin `being supported at its` twolends only. To the inner face of the plate 16 is secured two simil-arstuds or pins 19, which project substantially at right angles from saidplate, and the free ends of which are tapered and are curved toward thehinges 17, the spacing of said pins `conforming with that of eyelets 20,which are arranged in pairs at the inner side of the belt, but do notextend therethrough and hence are not visible when the belt is in is inits holding position, the studs or pins 19 project thek desired distancethrough the opening 11 in the back-plate 7. Thus, when said studs orpins are engaged with any pair of the eyelets, substantially "all of thestrain due to tension upon the belt is brought against the end portionof the fiange'8,fand, due to the curved shape ofthe studs or pins 19,there is no considerable lateral strain iinposed .upon vthe face-plate16. Preferably, 'the standing-end of the belt is secured to the chape 9of the buckle by snap-buttons 21, so as to be-readily detachable :Whendesired.

`In use, the running end of vthe belt is passed between the `tace-plate16 and sides 13 and-the back-plate 7aiid While the beltis beingtightened the eyelets 20 pass Jtreely 'over the curve-d ends of thestuds orv pins 19, but upon anyreverse `movement o't'rhe belt saideyelets will be engaged'by said Studs or pins, such engagement beinginsured by asliglit pressure ofthe thumb 'against the holdingmember 16,and being readily discernible by feeling said member to deter mineWhether it is vin its holding position With itstree end against the endportion of the flange 8. To loosen the belt, it is only necessary togive a slight pull or jerlz'to its free end, which Will-spring thehinge-pin 18 backiand release the free-.end o't'the plate 16 'fromthe-flange, thereby detacliing'the hooks 19 froni'the eyeletsQO..

Various modiiications of minorl detailsof y lmy improved belt-buckledoubtless readily will suggest themselves to those skilledin theartftovvhich it appertai'ns, but such modifi cations fall Within thescope ofy my inventive rights,and the invention isn-otto becon struedas'bein'g'limited to any details not specifically seto'ut inthe claims.

Having" thus .fully disclosed theinvention, What-fl claim as new, andseek to secure by Letters Patent, is v h1. A buckle comprising rva back,a front and two sides, enclosingfa space adapted to receive a belt,saidback having an opening therein Vand having a flan-ge at one end'of its:outer face, and -a holding inember pivotally mounted upon a stationaryresilient su pport carried by said back at the end opposite saidiiange,the free end oiE said member being abutt'ed against said iiaiige Whensaid member is in 'holding' position, and said member carrying a pin inposition to pro3ect throughsaid opening in the back and en-V gage beltiii-saidbeltreceiviiig space.

'2. buckle con'torining to A'claim 1, in

-wliieh Ythe holding nieniberfis yieldingly retained in engagementwiththeicliange by the resilient support upon which -said member ismounted.

3. il. buckle yconiorming to claim :1, in

which the belteengaging pin hasits freeend curved -toivard gthe supportfor the holding member. f

1. Abuelle conforming Ato -claim l, in which the'b'elt is provided Withapertures arranged Ain series longitudinally thereof, and the pin konthe holding member is adapted to enterone of said apertures uponmovement ofthelioldinginember to Vholding po'-,

sition, and tofbe detached'therefrom .upon reverse move-nientofsaid'member.

5. A buckle :comprising va` backya `iront,

and tivosidesfenclosing a spaceadfapted to receive a belt, said sidesbeing connected-.together bythe front :and the back being separateiroin'the 'trent and sides, andftheY sides Y -A and hack ltermi ngcomplementary interlocking members, :one vof which Y:is A.yieldableWherebyf-diiiferent ifro'nts and-sides may be used interchangeal'ily:with the same back,

andmeanscarried-by the baelrztoi retaining afbeltinsaidbeltfreceiyingspace,V y

6. -i/fi.. bucklev conforming to claim .5, fin

which4 the "front -aiidsides are 'iini tary,- said VWALDo L. iiAMRic.

